IPMBA’s Response to the Removal of “Enforcement” from Bicycle Safety Programs

November 6, 2020

When IPMBA became aware of the decision by the League of American Bicyclists (the League) to remove “Enforcement” as one of the five pillars of the Bicycle Friendly America program, the initial reaction was one of shock and dismay.  After all, IPMBA is a descendent of the League, we have members and instructors in common, and we support their mission to “create a Bicycle Friendly America for all.”  As recently as 2011, the League was proclaiming enforcement as the “Final Frontier,” and suddenly, it seemed, they no longer saw a role for police officers in enhancing community bicycle safety. 

It appeared as if the League was joining the ranks of those calling for the defunding and dismantling of police departments and stereotyping all police officers as racist, particularly in light of the earlier decision by the Safe Routes Partnership (SRP) to not only remove enforcement as one of their “Six E’s”, but also to actively discourage organizers from involving law enforcement in Safe Routes initiatives.

League of American Bicyclists

Out of respect for the relationship IPMBA has with the League, and with the goal of gaining an understanding of the reasoning behind the decision, IPMBA Executive Director Maureen Becker engaged League Executive Director Bill Nesper in a dialogue.  He was very honest in acknowledging that the League had not included any law enforcement officers in the change process and apologized for the omission.  He made it clear that the intention was not to exclude police officers, but rather to reframe their role as more than enforcement alone.  Once relegated to the enforcement aspect of the “Traffic Safety Triangle” of Engineering, Education, and Enforcement, police officers in many communities have taken on more active roles in the rest of the “E’s”:  Education, Engineering, Encouragement, and Evaluation.

To that end, the League did not eradicate the functions previously classified under “Enforcement”; rather, they moved them into other categories that better reflect the fact that, in most instances, law enforcement is just one of the partners involved in a collective effort to improve bicycle safety.  Unfortunately, rather than emphasizing the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) that acknowledge the role of police officers, their announcement gives the appearance they have joined the chorus of voices alleging that all police are inherently racist and act as barriers to the freedom and mobility offered by bicycling.  

Like the League, IPMBA believes that police officers – particularly bike officers – should play an active part in the remaining “E’s” but also equitably enforce the laws that enhance bicycle safety. 

Police officers, like all public safety servants, are invested in their communities and constantly strive to improve the ways in which people interact and conduct themselves. While only one of the ways the public sector fulfills its responsibility to promote community well-being, law enforcement’s primary role is to maintain public safety by protecting and defending the targets and victims of crime.  

According to the 2020 National Highway Safety Transportation Administration (NHTSA) publication, The Role of Law Enforcement in Supporting Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety: An Idea Book, “In 2018, pedestrians and bicyclists accounted for 19 percent of all traffic crash fatalities in the United States. This report shares examples and ideas of how law enforcement can address pedestrian and bicyclist safety, including real-world examples and resources. Law enforcement officers bring unique strengths to road safety and injury prevention programs. As first responders, they often witness the results of pedestrian and bicyclist safety problems firsthand, build contacts, gain information, and influence policy.”

While some may initially view the removal of “Enforcement” as one of the League’s pillars of a Bicycle Friendly America as a rejection of law enforcement, it is IPMBA’s opinion that the paradigm has shifted and that police officers can and should continue to take an active role in enhancing bicycle safety through partnering with other stakeholders to devise long-term strategies to effect change. 

Here are just a few examples of how law enforcement officers serve their communities, echoing the framework established by the League and the SRP:

• Engineering: Many police bicycle units encourage their governments to implement and improve bicycle facilities for an array of cyclists, through which they inspire more people to ride.  This may include identifying and reporting traffic safety problems that can be corrected through changes to the built environment as well as advising engineers about the importance of reducing the potential of crime through application of the principles of Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED). 

• Education: Law enforcement has a long history of educating the public on many topics, including personal safety, crime prevention, distracted and impaired driving, drug abuse, and domestic violence.  Specific to bike and pedestrian safety, they conduct bike rodeos and other bike safety education programs, including the League’s Smart Cycling Program.  Bike officers educate their peers, who may not be as familiar with traffic law as it pertains to cycling, and model safe and legal cycling behavior.  They implement education through enforcement, such as using the C3-FT device to educate motorists about safe passing distance.  They participate in multi-pronged programs such as the Baltimore Metropolitan Council’s Look Alive campaign, and education for special needs children and adults, such as Bike Advocates for Annapolis and Anne Arundel County (MD)’s RISE for Autism’s iCan! Shine Bike Camp, and Castle Rock (CO) Police Department’s AdaptABILITY Cycling.

• Encouragement: Police personnel encourage good citizenship and treating others well. Bike officers encourage others to ride – and ride safely -- through such programs as Minneapolis and Saint Paul’s Bike Cops for Kids programs, Castle Rock Police Department’s 1 x 1 Policing programs, such as Dirt Jumps and Donuts; Bike with a Cop events (held in various locations, including Bergenfield NJ, Little Rock AR, Wood Dale IL, Benton Harbor MI, and Anne Arundel County MD); and the Front Rangers Cycling Club in Denver CO. 

• Evaluation and Planning: Law enforcement agencies evaluate and plan responses to myriad events, ranging from property crimes and assaults to natural disasters and mass casualty incidents.  They also plan for events involving large groups of people. Police play a part in evaluating public policies in their communities and often provide input on proposed changes and updates.  Bike officers often serve on bicycle advisory committees to help plan and develop strategies to improve interconnectivity.  They advise on ways in which CPTED can reduce both the reality and the perception of crime on trails and other transportation facilities. 

• Equity: Law enforcement personnel strive to provide impartiality during incidents of heightened discourse and violent encounters. The overarching goal of law enforcement is to bring offenders to justice and restore a sense of well-being to victims and other affected persons. Bicycle officers are much more mobile and adept at reaching areas of communities inaccessible to squad cars.  The highly visible presence of bike officers in these neighborhoods affords the opportunity to develop trust, reduce crime, and improve quality of life.  In many cases, bicycle units are specifically deployed to at-risk neighborhoods in an attempt to respond in a more personal way to the needs and expectations of all citizens.

• Engagement: To effect positive change, law enforcement personnel must engage with the citizens they serve. One of the most endearing qualities of police cyclists is their ability to interact with the public due to their approachability and accessibility.  Bike officers engage people in conversations and develop relationships of trust with their constituents.  Many of the programs listed above under Education and Encouragement also provide avenues through which bike officers engage low income residents, people of color, the developmentally disabled, and more.   

Safe Routes Partnership

As noted above, the Safe Route Partnership (SRP) was the first to announce the removal of Enforcement as one of their “Six E’s” of Safe Routes to School (SRTS).  Unlike the League, the SRP has taken a much firmer stance against law enforcement.   In a conversation with IPMBA member Clint Sandusky, Executive Director Cass Isidro made it clear that their preference is to exclude law enforcement from involvement with Safe Routes programs, including “Engagement,” which has replaced “Enforcement.”  

In Dropping Enforcement from the Safe Routes to School Six E’s Framework, a blog post dated June 9, 2020, Isidro states: “We have shifted our communications and guidance away from promoting law enforcement as a critical part of traffic safety initiatives, helped highlight the inequitable impacts of law enforcement on people of color, and promoted traffic and public safety strategies that do not involve police…we recognize that there may be healthy, community-driven relationships with law enforcement that support some programs across the nation; however, we will no longer recommend such partnerships as foundational to the start, maintenance, or growth of a successful Safe Routes to School program.”

Natasha Riveron, in July 7’s blog, Protecting Black Lives in Parks and Public Spaces, notes “depending on police for community safety is not a sustainable or equitable solution.  It actively puts Black lives at risk and perpetuates white supremacy culture…the Safe Routes Partnership rejects reliance on police as the primary strategy for promoting safety in public spaces – in parks, while social distancing, at protests, and in general.” 

These statements are an affront to all law enforcement officers who dedicate themselves to enforcing traffic laws to encourage safety on the roadway, providing essential services and programs to people of color, and taking an active role in developing and enacting public safety strategies for the betterment of society.  To state that enforcing rules and laws is antithetical to advancing social justice and racial equality is offensive to those professionals who have taken and uphold an oath to safeguard their communities.

In the abovementioned June 9 blog, Isidro also states that SRTS is a “community-driven initiative with support from teachers, parents, extended families, school administrators, transportation professionals, and many, many more,” but that claim of inclusiveness is undermined by the rejection of police officers, who are community members, parents, educators, transportation professionals, safety experts, and people of all races, religions, ethnic backgrounds, and gender identification.

While the July 1 blog, Safe Routes to School and the Path Forward: Engagement, authored by Marguax Mennesson, Marisa Jones, Michelle Lieberman, Margo Pedroso, and Cass Isidro, offers many valuable insights, including the distinction between outreach and engagement, it also comes across as hypocritical. A quote from SRP’s Kori Johnson reads: “Community engagement is about relationship-building.  How can we create opportunities to authentically connect with one another?  Be curious.  Be open. Be a listener.  Be authentic.  Be creative.”   The blog speaks of the need to listen to people with different experiences. 

They list the benefits of true community engagement in Safe Routes to School.  They state that “engagement thrives on diversity and inclusion; values all voices and perspectives; and builds long-term relationships that lead to mutual support for shared goals.”  They ask, “is your stakeholder team missing any key representatives from the community?”  Yet, they seek to exclude certain members of the community based solely on their profession. 

While it is unfortunate that SRP has chosen to exclude police officers from their efforts to promote and pursue inclusion and engagement, IPMBA would never discourage bike officers from participating with Safe Routes initiatives if they are already engaged in a productive relationship or to get involved if invited.  This would be short-sighted and reactionary, and would fail to recognize the many successful initiatives that have made police officers full partners in the quest for safer streets. 

In summary, IPMBA encourages its members to continue to uphold the pillars of safe cycling, engage with their local cycling communities, participate in a wide array of cycling initiatives, and equitably enforce the laws that help protect the most vulnerable users of the transportation systems.

Comments to the League of American Bicyclists can be addressed to bfa@bikeleague.org.

Comments to the Safe Routes Partnership can be addressed to info@saferoutespartnership.org.

Photo:  Flanking iCan! Shine Bike Camp organizer Shannon Majoros, in the center, are volunteers (left to right) Rachel Varn of Pedal Power Kids, bicycle patrolmen Dominic Scali and Stanley Newborn and Bike AAA President Jon Korin. They met to discuss the camp hosted by RISEforAutism. (Sharon Lee Tegler / Capital Gazette Correspondent)

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